Moments
by ArisuSanX
Summary: Love was hard. Life was hard. We just have to appreciate every moment we have together in order to cherish it. Don't count moments by the breaths you take, count it by the moments that take your breath-away.


_**This story honestly doesn't seem to have a plot to it. Just random moments and thoughts and just about the feeling of being home. Hence the title XD Paragraphs in italics are flash backs though you can tell since there is only one :) Will speak more at the end of the story. But please do enjoy.**_

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><p><em><strong>Beep, beep,<strong>_

_**Wheeeooo weeooooo…**_

_**Honk, honk**_

Though the sounds after a hard day of work would usually distress you, walking home was the only thing that was the easiest part of walking home on days like this; especially in the summer. The noise didn't matter, the birds singing didn't matter, neither did the bickering of car owners, shopkeepers and their customers matter, but just the thought of _**home**_. Not to say I didn't enjoy work, and not to say that the people there troubled me, it was just the urge of wanting to scream at the unnecessary matters that I was concerned of. The _Elite Four_ honestly wasn't what I had imagined it to be. The constant meetings…the constant issues I had to face…the speeches, the signing autographs, the taking pictures, the lack of freedom and justice for them and I. It was all _so draining_. My tired eyes drooped slightly as I found myself falling deeper into an unconscious state, but the noises that surrounded me kept reminding me of where I was and that I also wasn't alone by being stressed and tired. Swinging my jacket over my shoulder, I sighed at the hustle as people passed by me, some smiling while others wore the same look I had… _**exhaustion.**_

I followed and listened to the sounds of my feet against the tiled pavement that I walked upon as my eyes observed my shoes as left disappeared behind me while the right was in front, before the left would soon be in front of my eyes while the right disappeared, going into a viscous cycle that seemed so complicated but actually was so simple that it only was worthy of having one syllable to it's name, 'walk' or if you prefer two syllables, 'walking'. Though to be honest, I had better things to think about as I got into a steady rhythm that would soon take me home.

…_**Home…**_

_I liked that word a lot._ I liked it more than I used to, it was something that I can truthfully say was polishing off on me. Back in the days of pure curiosity and pure ambition, I had taken _home_ for granted, from when I was born until I had accomplished my title. In fact, I remember clearly stating that I wouldn't go home until I had accomplished something that Gary said was 'not possible' for me, though I proved him wrong. _Hm,_ how foolish of me…to dive in and not see the consequences of the actions I had taken. _So stupid_. Even _she _used to call me that. In fact she still does.

_**She shrieked, "Satoshi you're so reckless sometimes it drives me crazy!"**_

"_**Satoshi, you're so stupid! You could have been hurt so badly!" she whined and cried as she held my hands tightly.**_

But of course, I would always reply, _**"No need to worry".**_

She even warned me, _**"It's not what it seems Satoshi…just make sure you do the right thing."**_

How right she was. _However at least she was still there. _I stopped in my tracks, even my thoughts had been interrupted, as the red man shone in the distance across the road while the green one waited patiently and lifelessly to be given the signal, or mostly to give us civilians a signal. My feet automatically tapped on the pavement, something I do obliviously when I wait. As I waited, I looked to my watch that was shimmering in the light. _**6:00pm**_. I had found for the strangest reasons that I would find myself in this exact spot, at the same time…every Sunday. Though strange at first after the four years of doing the same routine, I found it very casual, as well as the people that surrounded me during that time and day. By this I mean that practically the scene every Sunday was a like. I turned my head to the side, watching the skies and city dim into an unusual golden colour that made Canalave so beautiful that even I had to muse upon it. Though, I didn't turn my head to the side just to watch the golden heavens, I wanted to witness the same fuss I would see every week; that being Mr Jones's quarrel with his neighbors over whose leaf entered his front yard (he had always been a perfectionist), as well as the normal moment of Miss Evans packing up her apples and other varieties of fruit and vegetables as closing time was near.

However, those were just moments. Typical ones that would happen day by day coincidently while in sync with one another despite their diversity. A normal Sunday, a normal six in the afternoon moment, a usual hiccup there and a fuss there with the same coloured cars zooming by along the roads as they sometimes hooted and grinded along the streets. A regular shining red man and an ordinary green one waving to give us an ordinary message… _**just the usual walk back home. **_Those little moments never caught my attention; those little small stores didn't catch my eye… **except one**. Though the green man had flashed I still found myself staring at a particular store with a huge sign with the background in an olive green with a drawing of a pink rose and cream lilies in the corner and in bold, curvaceous handwriting 'Vibrant Flora'. A grin soon blessed my lips as my eyes stalked the store but my mind completely settled with only one thought in my mind as my smile got bigger and brighter.

…_Some moments, aren't so well predicted…_

_Though autumn wasn't my favorite season, but I had to admit there was something special about the autumn sunsets that nature had grown so fond of. I found myself watching the sunsets recently… I didn't know why or what influenced me…maybe just those rare vibrant colours that took my breath away or just the lack of something to do made me appreciate nature more. The season cast an orange haze above the horizon, lighting up the sky as if lit by fire, yet the haze was so crisp and clear. You meet so many faces in a few years of travelling that they just get bundled into your head until your brain explodes. I guess that's what I got for being too friendly. A chuckle enhanced my mood as I walked down the paved streets with every type of store passing by with a crisp, delicious aroma soothing my taste buds as I passed every pastry or cake store that had been filled with rich chocolate cakes and dreamy Victorian cakes with strawberry jam in the middle with all it's sweet glory._

_I had left my new travelling partners at the Pokémon Centre while Pikachu tagged along as he rested on my shoulder and enjoyed the precious moments of peace. Being in Sinnoh at the age of seventeen sure showed me a lot of things I had missed, the number one thing being the people that lived in the region with all their mixed personalities. It was honestly no wonder most people enjoyed going to Sinnoh, with their various events, their natural formations that blessed the region and the skies that changed from blue to gold, orange to lavender, grey to black and so on and so forth. Pikachu purred smoothly next to be as I swayed along the streets while musing on my plans of what to do next. I did not know what possessed me to talk a light stroll, but my instincts always guided me somewhere, whether it was where a tough battle opponent would challenge me, a meeting of a new friend or fighting off against those who threatened Pokémon and humans alike… though this time, abnormally…it was nothing like that that would soon bump into me…__**literally.**_

"_**OW!"**_ _we both yelped as our bodies hit each other with immense force that drove us off our feet and landed us on our backsides though Pikachu had a chance to flee from my shoulder into the street as he and others helpless watched both the girl and I as we fell._

_**Crash**_! _Another sound that had echoed throughout my mind as I found an object had also taken the hit with us, though this object didn't seem so lucky. With a groan I sat up, rubbing the back of my head, an unconscious move I would make before setting an abnormal trend by sprinting up and looking down to my victim though I never took the chance to examine her as pure guilt filled my mind and shrouded my judgment as my hands quickly rose to my forehead. __**I panicked, "**__I'm so sorry! It's my fault! I should have been watching!"_

_I then quickly looked to the side of where the girl's legs lay. Clumps of a boggy, brown material helplessly rested on the grey pavement and some had mischievously appeared on the girl's jeans, as it stood out from the rest and obviously seemed to be out of place … it was soil. That wasn't the only thing that was set in the soil, pieces of a green hard material lay in there as well and unfortunately a lonely looking bud and the plant growing out of it had popped out and been disturbed by my acts. Once again I felt the need to apologies._

"_Oh my god. I'm honestly so sorry! I'll pay for a new one you know," I looked at the broken pieces before looking to the girl who was still rubbing her head as Pikachu scurried to her aid, "just tell me the price and I'll buy them both for you. I'm so stupid! I didn't…"_

"_Honestly Satoshi! You babble on so much you give me hardly enough time to breath or say anything!"_

_I stopped in my tracks… __**that voice**__. My mouth hung open in an 'o' shape as I found myself staring at the most beautiful thing I had seen in my life as she stood up and sighed; though it was a familiar one that I hadn't seen in almost six years before I left the figure alone as I ventured to Isshu, but it felt so much more than just six years; and…_

_**For once in my life, I found myself speechless…at the grace…of the girl in front of me.**_

_She wore dark blue skinny jeans with a white tank top with a silver chained necklace that she wore so well with her outfit with a pair of black leather boots to put the piece together, though she wore a pink apron around her neck and the belt of it was tied behind her back. The belt wasn't the only thing that was tide back, her dark blue hair that usually cascaded down around her cheeks and to her back was in a tied up position in a high position on her head as her full, front fringe lay slightly above her eyes (who knew a hair cut would change someone so much). However that wasn't the only thing that changed. As I analysed her up and down, I found that her body had fully developed…she wasn't that novice ten year old anymore. That was for sure._

"_You can stop drooling now, Satoshi." She giggled slightly before petting Pikachu who had casually and hastily jumped up onto her shoulder as her finger stroked his chin and his cheeks became more red and vibrant than usual._

"…" _I was speechless. I didn't say a word nor could I think of one to come out with had she smirked at me with those cerulean eyes that looked into mine with such serenity and grace. It was no wonder half the time I could never look her in the eyes unless she was angry or just sleepy. Her eyes twinkled slightly as she turned her head to the side as a shy smile soon blessed her lips and her cheeks turned a certain shade of pink._

"_Ash?" she questioned with a hint of worry in her soft voice. I couldn't even answer, it was almost as if I had turned back to a naïve child who was still learning how to speak, and from the way my legs felt, (that feeling being weak) I almost felt as though I had to be taught how to stand and walk again like baby. Though my voice seemed to become stronger in my head as it powerfully roared at me._

_Suddenly a growl of unnatural emotions occurred within me as those fragile eyes and perfect skin seemed to glow and get closer to me as my throat went dry and my eyes felt too tired to stare anymore. These emotions seemed to drive me over the edge, conflicting with each other as if it weren't natural, though; I had had this feeling before…but so long ago. How did I cope?_

"_You must be somewhat wondering what I am doing here," she said calmly, but in fact now that she mentioned it, I was in fact curious, "I have to work you see, haven't got enough money to travel at the moment," those eyes soon turned to an emotion that I knew too well, __**sadness**_, "_no need to look to sad Satoshi, I actually really enjoy it here! I love Canalave, I've even gotten into reading the books at the library, and I'm so happy Professor Rowan told me to come here. It honestly is such a beautiful place to be," she paused and once again a smile graced her angelic face, "the flowers that bloom here and so beautiful. Despite Floaroma being the king city of flowers it seems people all around the world love to come here to find some unique flowers, like purple tulips, yellow ones, edelweiss, tiger lilies, you name it! The best thing is though is how they all live in harmony like us," she paused to take a breath and looked at me, almost as if concentrating on the whether I was listening, but it took me a while to realise that all she was trying to do was fill in the silence that should not have been there in the first place, "but you don't want to hear about that…even I don't want to hear about that…I want to hear about __**you**_, _**Satoshi."**_

_She beamed, almost as if nothing in the world would change it as she looked into my eyes and her hands grasping one another. She'd changed so much, but she'd stayed the same as well. Her position in life has taken a turn, for the worse or better I don't know, but her bubbly personality that would change one minute to the next was still there and was as complex as ever; but those eyes… __**those shades of blue**__. How gorgeous they were. With these musing thoughts, I found myself the strength to speak once more as emotions finally had thrown me off a cliff and into the seas of love and comfort as I stared at the horizon and it's blues._

"_I'd be happy to show and tell you everything," I beamed back at her, hoping my smile would do justice in her eyes and hoping the way she made me fill suddenly, honestly would make her feel the same way, "would you like to know more? About my adventures and the people I've met and the things I've seen." Unconsciously, I held my hand up and my hand unclenched itself and opened up to her almost as if being in sync with my open mind, dying for her to come with me where ever my imagination and my actions took me and her. __**Love, love, love, love, crazy love.**_

_Once again that shy smile returned, she looked back towards the store I assumed she was working in, before looking at the huge clock that was on the church across the street in the Square. Her eyes turned from a cerulean blue to an aquamarine, illustrating that I soon would get my answer…and maybe my wish. She slid her hand into mine before nodding to me while the blush on her cheeks soon turned into a brighter red. She was always best at trying to control herself, emotionally and physically, something I had not achieved, though in this moment for life… I think we both had been outwitted my destiny._

"_Lets go."_

We didn't know where we would go, whether we ran or walked, jumped or sailed, we didn't care, being with each other after six years was the best present on 19th June of that year. At that time, knowing where to go was a hard thing to do, just to venture out would soon take a hit on me and finally I met someone who would get me back on track, and soon after I had found I was travelling through one of my favourite regions… _**with my favourite girl.**_

The green man that shone bright soon appeared once again and soon my eyes drifted away from the store before walking across the road and taking a small route back home.

_**Home…**_

_**Home **_is where the peace is, _home_ is where the comfort is. Home was where my luxuries were placed and my precious memories were, where they were captured in photos and objects. _Home_ was where the cups of coffee and the fragile biscuits were all laid on a plate, one by one, in a neat, organized manner that lay waiting for me. Home where I would sleep and dream and share my thoughts. Home… _home. _Most of all…about home…_**home was where she was.**_

It was getting darker, and those vibrant colours of the sky soon passed and blended into a miraculous faint dark blue that would soon paint the sky and white stars would soon invade the masterpiece to make it into something a bit more dazzling. Though, I would love to observe it with my loved ones. I remember when I went back home and introduced _her personally _to my mother who honestly just loved her to bits. We all sat on the patio that night talking about how life was going and the recent turn of events. My mum would muse on my past adventures while I talked to _**her**_ about my past and talk about my love of Pokémon once more. Kanto's night wasn't as luxurious as Sinnoh's but it honestly was more warming and mysterious. Only an odd star was shine through the sharp dark but they would always be the most powerful and brightest ones out there.

…I remember how we first saw that shooting star…

"_**Ash look! Isn't it beautiful!" her eyes shimmered as the reflection of the falling star appeared in her eyes more brightly than any star that had ever appeared. Oh how beautiful she was…**_

That shooting star seemed to create a calm atmosphere throughout Kanto and created a sense of 'awe' as we saw it fight the night's darkness. She always had a thing for the small moments of life, which impacted me a lot.

I stopped in my tracks, finding myself in the middle of the park that I had once gone through with her. In fact. I saw the same bench we sat on for the first time as a couple who couldn't help but dream on. She always seemed too reluctant to have things done her way. Though to be honest, I loved her too much to say no, though she would always give me the look saying 'it is your choice as well', though I couldn't stand seeing her upset. I still can't. I couldn't do anything to harm her because I would literally tear my heart out if I did, I promised her and myself I would do nothing to hurt her or make her cry… I blabbering on again…

_**Once again**_, I was off. Meandering around the city was simple now, I was truly thankful for being placed here to live by Cynthia… these last few years have been hell. However, I was so blessed to have Cynthia by my side to help me as well as _her. _Hm…that Cynthia always said things that would be kept in memory for ever, she still does, as wise and kindly as normal, but this time, she said it so bluntly that I almost choked,

"**You know…she is your good luck charm,**

**Always on hand, and always beaming at you.**

**What a beautiful relationship Satoshi…**

**Don't let it slip away."**

Cynthia was right, and that was the first time I had appreciated something so much in my life, causing a tear to trickle down my cheek when she said so and I had to reply, "_I know". _It was a moment I always looked back on…and when I won that title, the smile that graced her lips and pride in her eyes just said it all. _Finally Ash! Good on you! _While when I looked back at her my eyes were eventually to full of tears that I could barely see her and a few moments later, I felt her embrace me with her own tears staining my shoulders and at that moment. That moment in time. I asked her one question that I never thought I would have asked her, that overwhelming feeling of utter love and bliss just completely over took my conscience.

"_I love you…will you marry me?"_

A smile one again graced my lips…and I headed off back home.

_Before I stepped away from the bench I looked back and whispered,__** "Nearly home."**_

_Cr-creeeaaakkkk__, SLAM!_

Note to self: get the front door fixed.

"_**DADDY!" **_she shouted, and her small, sweet voice echoed throughout the whole entire house. I couldn't help but smile as I heard her small footsteps run to the front door.

_**My baby…my little girl…the half of my whole world…**_ "Aika! I'm here!"

Once again I heard her footsteps which changed into a rushing beat of a sprint as her little feet touched the ground. Soon enough I looked up to the end of the hallway where a little figure would greet my gaze and Pikachu had joined her side only to disappear once again into the other room as it moaned and groaned, probably hoping it was the grocery delivery guy who would always bring a ketchup bottle for him.

Once again, I called, "Aika!"

With that, her petite head turned to me and her brown, blissful eyes twinkled even more than ever when she saw her 'daddy'. I dropped my jacket on the floor beside me and held my hands out as the little girl with chocolate eyes stared at me while beaming. She instantly once again sprinted towards me while calling, "Daddy, you're home!"

I had time to examine what she was wearing, this being her little pink dress we bought for her last week with white big spots on it and being made out of the finest material that we could find for her. She was wearing her little pink slippers and her dark blue hair was let loose as it flew behind her as she held her hands out to me while one white clip looked like it was going to fall off. She was in fact no different to her mum. She walked like her, smiled like her, talked like her in the most mature voice, and she was only five. Bless her. However, personality wise, she was just like me. Her recklessness always got her into trouble at school, but her 'heart of gold' that my wife describes hers and my heart as, was just the 'bees knees'. In seconds to spare we embraced and her hands soon rested on my shoulders as her head nuzzled into the crook of my neck. She had had a bath. I could tell. The strawberry aroma her hair consisted of wasn't just natural, her mother would have had to have used her favourite shampoo…that and her hair was a little bit wet, but I honestly couldn't care less, her sweet little words just seemed to be the cherry on the cake…

"Welcome home, daddy!" with that she hugged me tighter while I stroked her locks of blue. _**She was so sweet.**_

When we had first heard that we were going to be parents, I remember fainting right there and then on that very spot with only blue worried eyes being the last thing I would see as they shimmered. We worried a lot. We cared a lot. We wanted the best for the child be would be blessed with and to be honest, I thought I couldn't provide. I remember for 3 of those 9 months I had left her…all alone…while she was pregnant. However when I finally got back she slapped me, telling me that I was foolish to go somewhere without her; but that wasn't what surprised me, it was the fact that she was crying. Something she hadn't done in a long time. At that moment…I realised… _**I had broken my promise**_. Those agonizing months I had realised that I was trying to run away from something that would never even go away, but worst of all, I never realised this thing…that moment…would be so _**beautiful**_; the birth of _**my baby. My child…my little baby girl…**_I looked into my wife's eyes and saw the hurt I had caused that seemed to cause chaos in my mind. I remember reaching out my hand and rubbing her tears away before saying something that made her gasp, "_I'm scared."_

We hugged throughout that night…just as I was doing with my baby at that moment, "I love you, Aika."

"I love you too, Daddy." She whispered into my ear.

"And I love you both more than anything," Both our heads turned to the woman leaning on the arch of the door, smirking at our time together before walking towards us as her hips rolled and her hands swayed at her sides with something in her right hand and a soon a smile gracing her lips just like the day we met. It felt like déjà vu all over again as I found my throat going dry once again. _This was my wife, and I still can't speak without falling into her eyes, even after eight years. _I could tell that Aika could guess what I was thinking as she giggled and ran behind my legs as her mother playfully mouthed, "I'm gonna getcha."

The giggle of my daughter was always the most soothing thing in the world to me. I never understood why but hearing your own child talk or sing, laugh or tell stories, was always so…magical. Just like how _magical_ my wife was when she hugged and comforted me with her shades of blue drifting from one shade to the next in her eyes. _**How stunning was she?**_

Soon she was in front of me, standing proud and tall as she looked up to me. I was a good few inches taller than her still, though she was up to my nose. I'd always call her. Both our eyes locked together for the first time in a while Aika once again chuckled in the background and pulled on my jeans so she could have something to cover her eyes while glancing at her parents once in a while.

It was almost like the first time we kissed, the same atmosphere and the same tone that lingered in our movements. Though people always described that our kisses were full of innocence, and sweet…for the first time and the last time. I remember…I was always convinced that at that very moment, if she zoomed into my eyes, behind the my them she would have seen fireworks that matched the popping in my ears and vivid flowing of my blood that rushed back and forth, yet the softness in her eyes and mine were always the same. Always. When we brushed our lips together, we would always feel the others heart beat in our chests as my hand caressed her cheeks while she stroked my hair, my free hand being on her hips and her free hand being placed on my chests. It was the same every time…and we never ever got tired of it. It was no different that time; it won't be different the next. When we parted and embraced each other the feeling of warmth just over took me my daughter walked to the side of us and hugged us. Our noses touched and I couldn't help but feel a spark that enlightened us all within. There was nothing like this…

She gave me a light peck on the lips before moving back a bit with Aika at her side. They both looked at each other, before glancing at me. Aika quickly dug into her mother's pocket on her apron and bought out a box with a small card on it before walking to me. I opened my hand and soon she placed both items in it. I glanced at both my two favourite girls before chuckling at their grins and opened the box. It took me a while to realise what the item was. _A watch, _pure silver with diamonds incrusted into it as the numbers and an adjustable silver bracelet. I spotted that the watch was quite thick and thought that maybe it was one of those 'open up' ones you could get in this day and age. I was right. Opening it up I almost found a tear trickle down my cheek as I stared at a picture of my wife, Aika and I inside of the watch. Before closing it, I glanced at my two beautiful girls as the smallest one giggled at the sight of her father being emotional and the eldest one also chuckling too with a bright tinted red on her cheeks. _I love them so much. _Taking the watch out of the box, I decided to try it on. Turning the watch over again and again, I found that there was also something engraved into the back, and it read:

_**Hugs and Kisses just for you**_

_**Just for you,**_

_**Just for you**_

_**Hugs and Kisses just for you.**_

_**Daddy I Love You**_**!**

"Aika thought her daddy was having a hard time," I glanced at my wife as she stepped towards me and held my free hand as I dropped the small card to the ground, "and so did I," she pecked me on the cheek and stared into my eyes with a colour of stunning cerulean blue, "so we both decided to give daddy something he could use everyday and that he could look and smile at when ever he was sad," she generously smiled, before it turned to a smirk, "that and so he could get to events on time for once in his life!"

Aika and I chuckled, "Thank you, honey, but why all this?"

This time, both her and Aika roared with laughter, and suddenly I was sprung into soft and warmth. Soon my face turned bright red.

"Daddy's silly!" Aika cried and chuckled.

"Yes, Daddy's really stupid," she whispered into my ear and giggled slightly, her hands tightened around my neck and soon Aika was at her legs as she hugged us. Mine and my wife's hands went down to pull Aika into our embrace a bit more before she nuzzled her cheek against my leg, I honestly didn't know what was going on. I just knew that I loved every moment of it. I loved every moment of my life… (Great, the tears are coming).

From the tears to the smiles…from sickness to health…from the laughter to the shouting…from the love and to the hate…all those special moments. Such perfection in those small spaces of time that shook me into what I do now. The perfect life I have. The perfect people that live in it. The beautiful souls that love me so deeply. This was the day I gained the capacity to love everything and everyone. The tears were falling.

Love was hard.

Life was hard.

We just have to appreciate every moment we have together in order to cherish it…_**I love you two…my baby girl…my wife. **__How lonely did I feel this morning only to come home to this? _Home…**home.** Home…this is the only place I experience such emotion…no life is fair or perfect…but this is close and we can all make life…a little fairer.

"Happy father's day Satoshi."

"…_Thank you__**…Hikari**__."_

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><p><em><strong>Sorry for the lack of updates, I'm very tied up at the moment with GCSEs but I'll be free very soon.<strong>_

_**I didn't know whether I would make this a multi fic where people from all shippings with Ash could read this and enjoy it and just imagine their favourite female character (or even an OC) in the place of his 'favourite girl'. However, I had a sudden rush ... well I called it the 'Pearl Rush' run through me and was like 'Hey, why not?"**_

___**Sorry if it seems rushed and just plain horrible but I definitely wanted it up on father's day. I will edit along the way when I have the time just like with my other fictions**_

_**How are you all? I haven't been on for so long I've barely had time to talk to everyone, on the Internet and outside the internet (Yes, exams literally do destroy my social life XD)**_

_**THERE IS A POLL ON MY PAGE :D ... Ehem... 0:)**_

_**I also wanted to say HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! And even if you don't have a father to those out there who don't, it still doesn't mean you shouldn't celebrate a loved one! It's a day which all of us should enjoy with all the ones we adore because it gives us a chance, just like Valentine's day and Mother's day, Christmas, your birthday, etc! Let's spread the love : ) It is up to you! And as I said:**_

_**'Love is hard.**_

_**Life is hard.**_

_**We just have to appreciate every moment we have together in order to cherish it'**_

_**. …Well in my opinion anyway! HAPPY MOMENTS PEOPLE! THINK HAPPY :D Bye guys =) (I'm so random today).**_


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